Kingston Portsmouth / Portsmouth

Noted and illustrated in Godel, Hadley & Pointon (2000). Baptismal font said to be of the 12th century [cf. infra]; it consists of an octagonal basin raised on a narrower pedestal base, also octagonal; both plain. The wooden cover noted on the font in 1841 consists of a plain octagonal base with several [eight?] raised ribs. The font was moved in 1914 into the newly-built Church of St. Albans, in Copnor, now also part of Portsmouth. The font has been provided with a new metal lining and several covers, including a replica of the old cover noted above, a plain ocatgonal cover with metal decoration, and a tall wooden cover raised by counterweight in the new church [www.stalban.org.uk/DickensFont/default.html] [accessed 31 July 2011]. [NB: we have not had an opportunity to see this font; it appears to be too sharp at the angles and surfaces all around; was it re-cut? it does not appear 12th-century as claimed]